Door-holder.



P. J. LEE.

DOOR HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 2, 1 11.

1,040,360. Patented Oct. 8, 1912.

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COLUMBIA PLANOQHAPM C0,,wAsHlNa'r0N. D. C.

FREDERICK J. LEE, OF WICHITA, KANSAS.

DOOR-HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 8, 1912.

Application filed November 2, 1911. Serial No. 658,194.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FnunnnIoK J. LEE, citizen of the United States, residing at Wichita, .in the county of Sedgwick and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Door-I-Iolders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention comprehends certain new and useful improvements in builders hardware, and relates particularly to a device for holding screen, cupboard, closet, or other doors in closed position, without the use of knob-actuated latches or the like.

The invention has for its primary object a simple, durable and efficient construction of door holder composed of comparatively few parts that may be cheaply manufactured and easily assembled and secured to the door and to the door j amb without mortising or otherwise cutting into the door or its casing, and the invention consists in certain constructions and arrangements of parts that I shall hereinafter fully describe and claim.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved door holder, the same being shown in applied position, with the door closed; Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the device; Fig. 3 is a detail face View of one of the parts; Fig. 4 is a perspective View of another part, and Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of a modified form of latch hereinafter specifically described.

Corresponding and like parts are designated by similar characters of reference throughout the several views.

My improved door holder comprises an attaching plate 1 preferably stamped out of sheet metal, with side flanges 2 and with screw holes, as shown, whereby it may be se curely fastened to a door near the free edge thereof by screws or similar fastening devices. A casing 3, also preferably stamped out of one piece of sheet metal, with a face portion 4, parallel sides 5, and a rear wall 6, which is curved as shown, is pivoted at its sides, as indicated at 7, on a pintle rod extending through the flanges 2 of the attaching plate 1, the edge of the rear Wall 6 normally terminating in slightly spaced relation to the adjoining face of the attaching plate 1, whereby to limit the retracting movement of the casing. One or more springs 8 are coiled around the pintle rod 7, said springs being two in number in the present instance, and bearing against the rear or inner wall of the face portion 4 so as to tend to swing the casing in one direction, as clearly indicated in the drawing. The casing 3 is formed in its face portion 4 with a slot 9 through which a roller 10 protrudes, said roller being journaled concentrically upon a pin 11 extending transversely of the casing and secured to the sides 5 thereof. Preferably, the side walls of the slot 9 are pressed inwardly to form lugs 12 designed to prevent the adjoining ends of the springs 8 from wedging in between the roller and the side walls of the slot, which would manifestly tend to prevent the roller from rotating. If desired, for the sake of appearance, the opening at the rear of the casing 3, where the stop edge of the wall 6 terminatcs, may be closed by an angular plate 13 secured to the base or attaching plate 1, preferably by the same screws that fasten said plate to the door.

(lo-acting with the latch constituted by the parts hereinbefore described, is a keeper which as best shown in Fig. 4 is in the form of an angular plate 14 formed with an attaching portion 15 through which screws or similar fastening devices may be passed to fasten the keeper to the door jamb. The keeper 14 is formed with a shoulder 16 back of which the roller 10 is designed to pass when the door is closed, a lip 17 pro jecting outwardly and rearwardly slightly beyond the shoulder and practically forming a part thereof.

From the foregoing description in connection with the accompanying drawing, the operation of my improved door holder will be apparent. In the practical use of the device, as the door closes the roller 10 will rise upon the keeper and pass over behind the shoulder thereof, and the helical springs 8 around the pintle 7 will hold the latch in a forward position. When pressure is made against the door to open it, the roller contacts with the shoulder, and the latch will be forced back against the action of the springs 8 owing to the roller movement.

Preferably, the front face 4 of the casing 3 is formed with a crimp or depressed portion 4 in which the shoulder 15 of the keeper is designed to fit in the engaged position of the parts, whereby the lip can proand exert more presject nearer the center making it harder to sure upon the roller, open the door.

It is to be particularly noted that the keeper being constructed of a single piece of sheet metal, must be bent to the required form. Obviously, a rounded edge is pro duced, and this would allow the roller to easily free itself from the engaged shoulder, were it not for the lip 17 but the lip, which is punched out of metal, effectually prevents this.

It is to be understood that my invention is not limited to that form of latch which is illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawing, but that various changes may be made in the construction, arrangement and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. For example, reference is to be had to Fig. 5, wherein the roller, there designated 10 is journaled in cars 18 that are formed on the outstanding angularly disposed spring strip 19, said strip taking the place of the casing 3. This form of latch may be found desirable on lighter doors, such as cupboard doors.

Having thus described the invent-ion, what is claimed as new is:

1. The combination with a door, and its frame, of a keeper secured on the frame and projecting into the path of movement of the door, a casing yieldingly mounted on the door and disposed to move in the plane of movement of the door, and a roller journaled in and protruding from said casing to ride over and engage behind the keeper.

2. The combination with a door and its frame, of a casing carried by the door and mounted to yield thereon rearwardly, the direction of the movement of the door being considered, and in a plane coincident with the plane of movement of the door, a protruding roller journaled in the casing,-and a keeper secured to the frame and designed for engagement by said roller.

8. A device of the class described comprising an attaching plate, a casing pivotally connected thereto and spring pressed in one direction, the casing embodying a face member, sides, and a rear wall, the latter normally terminating in spaced relation to the attaching plate and designed to limit the backward movement of the casing, the casing being formed in its face with a slot, 'a roller journaled in said casing and having a portion ofits periphery protruding from said slot, and a keeper designed to co-act with said roller.

4. The combination with a door and its frame, of an attaching plate secured to the door and formed with side flanges, a pintle rod secured to said flanges, a casing yieldingly and pivotally mounted between said flanges on said pintle, the casing being formed with a slot, a roller journaled in the casing and protruding from said slot, and a keeper secured to the frame and designed for engagement by said roller.

5. A device of the character described comprising an attaching plate formed with side flanges, a casing mounted between said flanges, a pintle pivotally connecting the casing to the flanges of the attaching plate, the casing being formed with a face member having a slot formed therein, springs coiled around said pintle and bearing against the rear wall of said face member, the side walls of said slot being formed with lugs designed to prevent the adjoining ends of said springs from protruding through slots, a roller journaled in the casing and protruding from said slot, and a keeper designed to co-act with said roller.

6. A device of the class described, comprising a spring-pressed catch, and a keeper designed for engagement by said catch, said keeper being in the form of an angular plate provided with a shoulder and with a lip struck from said shoulder and projecting therebeyond, for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK J. LEE. [L.S.] /Vitnesses EMMA DOONAN,

W. F. YAXLEY.

Copies Commissioner of Iatents, 

